Women's Lacrosse League: Pro Women's Lacrosse Explained
The Women's Lacrosse League (WLL) is the top professional women's lacrosse league in the United States. For players and families in Boulder County — where girls lacrosse has a strong footprint from youth clubs through CU Boulder — the WLL represents something that hasn't existed until very recently: a clear professional pathway for women who want to keep playing after college.
What Is the WLL?
The WLL launched in 2024, making it a brand-new league by any measure. Before it existed, there was no stable, professional women's lacrosse league in the US. Elite women players had options at the international level through World Lacrosse competitions and US national team programs, but no domestic pro league they could build a career around.
The WLL changed that. It is sanctioned by USA Lacrosse and gives the country's best women players a professional league to compete in after their college careers end. For specifics on current team rosters, season dates, and standings, visit thewll.com — as a new league, details evolve quickly and the official site is the most reliable source.
How It Differs from College and International Lacrosse
If you're used to watching high school or college lacrosse, the WLL is a step up in pace, athleticism, and tactical sophistication.
- College lacrosse (NCAA and WCLA) is where most players develop. Top programs compete under the NCAA or through the Women's Collegiate Lacrosse Associates (WCLA). Both are amateur — players cannot receive pay. The WLL is where the best college players go next.
- International play through World Lacrosse focuses on national team competitions — the World Games, the World Championship — rather than a club-based season. Many WLL players also compete internationally for the US or other countries.
- The WLL is a club-based professional league with a regular season and postseason. Teams, schedules, and game-day presentation are designed for fans, not just athletes.
Why It Matters for Women's Lacrosse
Before the WLL, the message women's lacrosse players got from the sport was effectively: college is your peak. The WLL changes that frame entirely.
Young players in Boulder County can now point to professional women's lacrosse as a destination. That shift affects how coaches recruit, how players train, and how programs market themselves. It also means local parents and fans have a professional product to watch and support.
The existence of a stable pro league also supports USA Lacrosse development efforts at the youth and high school levels — a pro league creates role models, which drives participation growth.
Colorado's Connection to Elite Women's Lacrosse
Colorado has produced strong women's lacrosse players for years. CU Boulder's WCLA program has been a pipeline for players who go on to compete at the highest levels, including US national team rosters and — now — the WLL.
The state's high school programs, including those in the CHSAA girls lacrosse bracket, develop players who go on to strong college programs. With the WLL now operating, the best of those college players have a pro league to aspire to. That's a genuine shift in what's possible for a young girl playing lacrosse in Boulder County today.
Where to Follow the WLL
The WLL is still building its broadcast and streaming footprint as a young league. The best places to stay current:
- thewll.com — official site for schedules, rosters, standings, and broadcast information
- USA Lacrosse — covers the league in the context of broader women's lacrosse development
- World Lacrosse — for international context when WLL players compete for national teams
If you also want to follow men's professional lacrosse, the Premier Lacrosse League is the top outdoor pro league and broadcasts on ESPN — another way to watch the best lacrosse in the world from your couch.